Automatic train-stop.



No. 896,332. PATBNTED AUG. 18, 1908.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOP. APPLIUA'IION FILED we. 4/1906.

wiffluozo I nrrn STATES PATENT came-a.

HIRAM GJSEDGWICK, or MILL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-STOP.

Fig. 2; Fig. 2 a vertical section taken through line22- on Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 a detail side elevation of a modification of the armature. Y

This invention has relation to that class of train-stopping apparatus in which the braking mechanism is put into action by the actuation of an armature carried by the train, thisarmaturebeing actuated when it passes over a magnet on the roadbed and this magnet being connected with' suitable "means whereby it is energized when it is desired to A preempt any part of the adjacent roadway.

' pended or mounted nor which will ,requirc.

' The magnet energizing circuit may be closed manually or automatically by means operated by a preceding train' or by the movement of switch rails or the opening of a drawbridge or the setting of a semaphore signal to danger or by other means. a

As heretofore designed the armature carried by the locomotive has been. mounted a sufiicient distance from the roadbed to avoid being injured by-coming in contact with road bed obstructions as the train passes along. This necessitates a considerable gap between the armature and the magnet and this wide gap requires that the armature'shall be very delicately mounted in order to respond to the magnetic action of the magnet-as the train passes over the magnet. This delicate mounting of the magnet is objectionable not only because it is liable to speedily become deranged but also because it is'liable to accidenta operation by the jarring and rocking of the locomotive; and-,it is further objectionable for the reason that it requires a very powerful magnet to render it absolutely certain that the armature shall be actuated.

My present improvements are designed to obviate the foregoing objections by providing an armature arrangement which will not require that the armatures be delicately susthat they be suspended so high on thcloeo- Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed August 4, 1906. Serial No. 329,234,

the greater the Patented Aug 18, 1908.

motive as to avoid roadbed obstructions as morefully hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the drawing annexed by letters, a a designate a pair of armatures each of which consists of a top plate band depending plates 0 and which are suspended freely within a box (1 by means of springs e. A guide bar 9 runs longitudinally of the casing d and serves to guide the armatures in their longitudinal movements, the springs being 5 arranged to hold the armatures m a horizontal position and to permit them a limited longitudinal movement'on the bar g. Up-' ward movement of the armatures is limited by the longitudinalbars h. i

The road magnet is designated by the letter f and may be of any suitable construction and isso arranged on-the roadbed that the lower straight edges of the armatures pass over the magnet in vertical alinement there with, the entire lower edges-ofthe armatures being presented to the action of the magnet. The armatures are kept normally pressed forward (in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. l which arrow points towards the pilot 3 of the locomotive) by means of a springactuated plunger 'm'. which presses normal against the rear end of the rear armature. have shown two armatures but it is obvious thata greater or lesser number may be employed, the larger the-number of armatures attractive force or drag obtained.

Attached to one of the armatures is an up-- ward extending. finger n which, when the armature carrying it is forced back against the action of the lunger, will actuate the brake applying mec ianism. In this instance this part n is adapted to strike-against the-flower end of'a switch lever 0 and thereby close the 5 brake circuit p in which is included the brake magnet '1", but it will" be understood that; movement of this part it may be transmitted f to the brake applying mechanism. in any suitable manner. I 100 To restore the brake-actuating member 0 to 1 normal after it has been once actuated, I may employ a cylinder 13 connected by a pipe t to the exhaust from the vent pipe of the brake system, said cylindm being provided with. a series of perforations t" near its forward end and with a pistolrzv" whose piston rod f extends out l hrgugh the forward end of thefcylinder in positioh to throw the lower end of the member 0. forward when said piston is moved 0 forward. It will be observed that when air is letintothe cylinder t the piston rod t Wlll be driven forward and thus open the switch In the modification shown in Fig. 3 the ar-v maturea is shown in the form of a shoe supportedrin the depending rearwardly extending endof a spring a which is earned by a bar I) slidably mounted-on a suitable part of the locomotive truck or frame and guided by pins d and slots 0, the bar I) carrying the actuating arm n and being normally pulled or pressed forward by means of a suitable spring e. A great many other modifications are obviously possible within. the scope of this invention.

When a train equipped with this improved armature asses over an energized roadbed magnet, t e armature 'will be drawn down against the'action of springs e'and caused to come into actual contact with the pole pieces of the magnet.

The. attractive force of the magnet is .so great when the armature is thus brought-into contact with it that a strong backward pullor drag results which backward drag causes the armature to slide back on bar 9 against the action of the spring actuated plunger 17/. and this backward movement of the armature is utilized to apply the train ger m being sufficiently strong to prevent,

silient suspension of the armature permits it to have a free vertical movement whereby it may readilyv pass over obstructions on the roadbed without operating the brake mechanism, the tension of the spring behind plunrearward movement of the armature except when a very powerful drag is exerted upon the armature by the magnet.

It will be observed that with the construc.-

tion above setforth the gap between the magnet and the armature is practically done away with since the armature may be suspended so .low as to practically scrape the magnet as the train moves over it.

- obviating the wide gap between the arma- 'ture andthe magnet doesaway with the necessity of nicely-mounting the armature, thereby avoiditn accidental derangement and applying. of the brakes. It also permits me to employ a-magnet of less strength thus greatly reducing the expense of equi ping a road with this system. It will be 0 served .ed in such i'iianner that when it Thus that the armature cannot be actuated when the train'is backing, so that it will be necessary to employ a duplicate set of apparatus on opposite side of locomotlve pointing backwards which will actuate the brake mechanism when it passes over an energized magnet while the train is moving b'a'ckward, but this will not be a-disadvantage since it avoids using a reversing" switch on the locomotive, which switch has been necessary'in systems heretofore devised.

Instead of employing the duplicate set of armaturesabove ointed out it would be ossible to employ ut a single armature and iiave it actuate the brake mechanismwhe'ther 0 it be slid forward or backward. This could be done bysimply employing another spring actuated plunger at the forward end of the magnet and arran ing another brake-actuating member 0 so t iat the arm a would actuate it when the armature is dragged toward the pilot when the train isbacking. This involves a mere duplication of the parts and I have therefore deemed i t uimecessary' to' illustrate it; I I

Having thus explained the'nature of the invention and described a way of construct: ing and using the same, without attempt-' ing to define all the forms in which it may be embodied or all the modes of its use, I declare that What I claimis: p

1. Ina train-stopping apparatus, a magnet on the roadbed and train-stopping mech anism'adapted to be actuatedwhen the magnet is energized, said mechanism embodying 10 a resiliently-suspendedand horizontally move able armature and means for normally press-- ing it forward, said armature being suspendasses over the magnetit is pulled or 'dragge backward.

2. In a train stop ing mechanism, the

combination of a road ed .magnet and trainstopping mechanism adapted to be actuated when it passes OVertlieinagnet, said mechanismembodymg an armaturesuspended' on 11.0

"springs in such manner that when the magnet is energized the armature will be-dra'wn down into contact with the magnet as the train passes o verthe magnet.

3. The combination of a. track magnet, an armature carried by a train and resiliently suspended and being free to move simul-' taneously downward and backward; and means controlled by said armature for operating the train-stopping,mechanism} 4. The combination of atrack magnet, an armature carried by a train and free to descend i'ntocont'act. with the magnet and to move longitudinally While in contact therewith, and means controlled by said armature 12.5 for operating the train-stopping mechanism.

5. The combination of atrack magnet, a railway vehicle carrying a resiliently. suepended armature free to movev'ertically arid,

orizontally, and means controlled by said1130 armature-for operating the vehicle-stopping mechanism.

6. The combination of a track magnet, an armature carried by a train andwfreeto move directly backwardly in a horizontal lane, and means controlled by the magnetic rag of the armature across the track magnet for operating the trainstop ing mechanism.

7. The combination 0 a track magnet, an armature carried by a train and free to be moved i'n'a plurality of directions by the magnet, means for automatically returning the armature to its normal position, and means controlled by the armature for operating the train-stopping mechanism.

8. The combination of a trackmagnet, an armature carried by a train and free to be moved in a plurality of directions by the magnet, means for returning the armature to and. means for automatica ly throwing the switch to normal position.

10. The combination of a track magnet,.

an armature carried by a train and free to be moved in a plurality of directions by the v magnet, means for replacing the armature to its normal position, means controlled by the armature comprising an electrical circuit including a switch, a magnet and a battery, for operating the train-stopping mechanism, and means for throwing the switch to its normal position by the released air from the train pipe. a

11. The combination of a track magnet,

an armature carried by a train and free to be moved in a plurality of directions by the magnet, means for replacing the armature to its normal position, means controlled by the armature comprising an electrical circuit 1ncluding a switch, a magnet, and a battery, for operating the train-stop ing mechanism, and means for throwing t e switch to its normal position comprising a cylinder with an inlet and outlet, 9. piston, and a piston rod operated by the released air from the train lpe.

armature-carried by a train and free to be moved in a plurality of directions by the magnet, means for limiting the vertical movement of the armature, means for replacing the armature to its normal position and means controlled by the armature for operating the train stopping mechanism.

13. In combination with a magnetic device on the roa'dbed, of a railway vehicle carrying an armature mechanism, consisting of a depending runner like armature and means for supporting it whereby it shall have 12. The combination of a track magnet, an-

a free vertical movement and a backward movement in an. approximately horizontal plane, means for normally pressing the ar'ma-K ture forward, and means whereby the rear ward movement of'the armature is-cause'd to actuate apparatus on the vehicle.

14. In combination with a magnet. on the roadbed,' of a railway vehicle carrying. an armature apparatus comprising a runnerlike armature and means whereby the armature is resiliently suspended and is permitted to have a-lirnited vertical movement to and from the magnet, and means whereby the movement of the armature actuates apparatus on the vehicle. Y

15. The herein described means for stopping vehicles comprising an electro-magnet, an elongated terminal for said magnet, and means to energize said magnet and magnetize said terminal whereby portions of the vehicle will be attracted to and-held in frictional contact with the terminal throughout.

the length of the terminal.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the this 2Qth day of uly, 1906.

HIRAM o. SEDGWIC'K.

Witnesses: H. A. MIERs,

.1. T. SMITH.

resence of two witnesses 

